Moisture content variation and grain quality of corn dried in different high-temperature dryers

Dryers are rated based on the average moisture content, with no consideration to the range in single-kernel moisture contents. The moisture content variation in lots of corn dried in three commercial dryer types was measured along with the grain quality (as indicated by the percentage of stress-cracked kernels). Corn exiting a high-temperature dryer, regardless of the type, had a standard deviation in the moisture content of the individual kernels of 3 to 5%, but this figure decreased to about 1% within three days. The corn dried in the concurrent-flow dryers showed the fewest stress cracks, that dried in the crossflow dryers the highest percentage of stress cracks.